Love and Hate: A Dramione

Chapter 10

"Malfoy, wait!"

Draco heard Hermione call out to him. He knew whatever it was wouldn't be good so he kept walking.

"Malfoy, stop!" Hermione called, panting as she tried to catch up to Draco's quick steps. "Don't make me hex you!" she added when he didn't stop.

Draco was in no mood for a scene today so he stopped. "I'd like to see you try," he said, still not turning around. He heard, rather than saw, Hermione finally arrive beside him. She was still breathing heavily.

"What do you want Granger?" Draco asked finally turning to look at her. "I don't have all day."

"I just – " Hermione took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. She stood up straight and looked at Draco. "I just wanted to thank you – for last night."

Draco didn't know what to say to that. He expected her to do something stupid and "noble" like thank him, which she did, but what caught him of guard again were her eyes. When she looked at him as she said that, he saw the vulnerability there. For a split second, all her defenses were down for him. That unnerved him so he did the only thing he knew how to do – he lashed out.

"Don't bother thanking me Granger, and don't ever mention it again either," he said with a menacing look. "Like I said, if I had known it was you, I would've let you fall." With that, he turned around and walked away.

He meant to say 'die' instead of 'fall' like he did last night but for some reason he choked on the word. What the hell was wrong with him?

Hermione watched him walk away. She didn't know what to think. Well, what exactly did she expect? For Malfoy to say 'You're welcome' and then for them to be best friends forever? She scoffed. Hardly. Well, at least she did what she had to do and Malfoy, well, Malfoy would always be Malfoy and for some reason, that didn't seem so bad. What the hell was wrong with her?

"Hermione!"

Hermione turned around to find a red blur attack her.

"Oh Hermione!" Ginny exclaimed after knocking the wind out of her friend. "Are you alright?" she asked, finally letting go.

"A little winded, but I think I'll be fine," Hermione said.

"You know that's not what I meant," Ginny said pouting.

"I'm fine Gin," Hermione sighed. "Really."

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's fine Ginny. She deserved it."

"Don't say that!" Ginny exclaimed. "You should've gotten Head Girl! You know it, I know it, everyone in this school knows it. I knew that girl was trouble the moment I saw her. She is too perfect. It's not only annoying but it's a clear sign that she's hiding something. No one's that perfect, even if they were a Harrington." She said the last name with disdain.

"What did you mean by 'Harrington'?" Hermione asked emphasizing the name just as Ginny had.

"Oh, well, they're just like the Malfoys," Ginny said. "Not in a Death Eater, sort of way – at least I don't think so – but in an 'I'm a pureblood and I'm rich, therefore I'm better than everyone else' kind of way. Bill used to go out with one of Genevieve's cousins but he wasn't good enough for her family. They threatened to disown her if she stayed with Bill and they told Bill so. Lexy, whose real name was Alexandra, wanted to stay with Bill but he knew how much she loved her family so he let her go. He was so sad for months, and so was she. So, we don't have the greatest history with the Harringtons, or the other pureblood 'elites' for that matter."

"That's terrible. Well, I would pick the Weasleys any day over pureblooded snobs," Hermione said.

"Thanks Hermione," Ginny said smiling. "But seriously, are you sure you don't want me to hex her? A simple bat-bogey hex would be exactly what she deserves."